Don't Think Indonesian Movie Just Suitable for Playing in XXI Cinema

JAKARTA - World of Indonesian filmmakers has recently been enlivened by many local cultural diversities raised in the form of films. Themes like this are not less interesting with the contemporary theme that many young Indonesian filmmakers raised today.

This is what David Hanan, a film researcher from Monash University writed in book entitled 'Cultural Specificity In Indonesian Film: Diversity in Unity'. This book discusses the diverse cultures of the region in Indonesia and the history that has been revealed in film since the early 1950s.

"This book is not only about past traditions, but also explores the ways in which Indonesian filmmakers discuss, critically, the distinctive aspects of their traditional societies in their screen films linking the past with today's highly relevant and dynamic way," Hanan said at the launch of this book at Sinematek, PPHUI, Jakarta, Friday (14/7).

Riri Riza, one of the directors who has been working on Indonesian local culture-based films, sees this book as a documentation and extensive study of the involvement of Indonesian filmmakers scattered from various regions representing cultural diversity.

"For young filmmakers, this book is important to remember that the history of Indonesian films is a history of diversity, so do not think that Indonesian films are suitable films to be shown in XXI cinema, which tells about the Jakarta children who have just returned from Paris, then have a Ferrari car and party in somewhere," said Riri who attended the launch of this David Hanan book.

The director of 'Athirah' is asserted if quality of films not only have to be measured from the movie just in the cinema.

"Look at films by Usmar Ismail or Syumanjaya, until now still be a warm conversation," he said.

The launching of this book was attended by a number of famous Indonesian filmmakers such as Riri Riza, Slamet Rahardjo, Eros Djarot, Titiek Puspa, Adisurya Abdi and Christine Hakim.

David Hanan is a Senior Research in Film and Screen Studies at School Media, Film and Journalism, Monash University. He has published many books on Indonesian films, including articles and books published by East-West Film Journal, Oxford University.